KINGSTON, Jamaica — Reggae artiste Hezron Clarke is set to expand his “Save the Children” school tour islandwide, as he champions the mission of placing positive musical alternatives directly into the ears of the nation’s youth.

Citing the alarming surge in brutal acts and widespread atrocities committed both against and by youth—including the recent fatal stabbing at Ocho Rios High School—Hezron asserted that it is time to ensure children have access to more positivity, particularly in music, to counter the violent status quo.

Describing the tour’s initial leg, a collaboration with the Rotary Club of Liguanea Plains, as a truly eye-opening experience, Clarke noted that the engagement has inspired him to deepen his commitment to child advocacy.

“Each time I performed at a school, I was taken aback by the response of the students. For some, it was their first time listening to reggae music—which was heartbreaking—and for others, they were enamored by the live band, which was another first. All in all, their feedback was truly frightening, and it put me into deep contemplation about the kinds of music children are exposed to,” said Hezron.

“What I am beginning to see is that a whole generation of children are quickly becoming cultural strangers to the things that make up our Jamaican identity. Popular music and the values it promotes dominate because it is often the only sound in the room. By the time a child is capable of developing their own musical taste, their ear has already been trained by the loudest actor,” Hezron added.

The reggae artiste explained that exposure to varied musical genres is vital for presenting students with options, noting that many children lack the agency to seek alternatives to popular music on their own.

Admittedly, Hezron shared that because socially conscious reggae has found favor in Europe, his focus and that of his team had been geared toward producing and marketing to fans in those markets.

Describing his single “Save the Children” as a sleeper hit, Clarke noted that the track only entered heavy rotation in Jamaica two years post-release after being adopted by an NGO campaign—a resurgence that has ultimately refocused his artistry toward greater advocacy.

“I am not going to lie to you: reggae is loved in Europe. So, instinctively, as an artiste doing reggae, your focus is on the market that embraces you—and so the marketing and attention is there. But there is a ‘but.’ Based on what I see happening, I have had to reallocate not just my time, but I’ve had to ramp up marketing to my roots, my Jamaican people. The popular music machinery can’t be the loudest voice in the land of reggae,” said Clarke.

“Where I am now is that I think we—the music fraternity, particularly those of us doing conscious reggae—need to ensure that children, during the ‘prime window’ of their social and emotional development, are exposed to our music. I think it will make a difference,” Clarke concluded.

The “Save the Children” school tour resumes mid-April and will be heading to rural communities on the island’s north coast.